While the search engine world has changed a lot since we launched
in 1997, we're still here and strive to improve the Travel Notes experience for our
visitors.
Get to your destination faster with the Travel Notes Toolbar; by searching
speciality travel websites and quality, country-specific search engines from around the
world, all in one place.
Travel Notes Toolbar
Download our personalised toolbar for all the latest travel articles,
links, features and special discounts; available to toolbar users only.
Narrow down the millions of Google search returns with our
pre-selected 'quality' travel domains, or use the full power of Google if you prefer.
Make good use of your time online with quick access to the best in
travel, speciality search engines at your fingertips and a pre-tuned world radio; where
you can also add your own favourite stations or music files.
With more features planned!
Downloads available for Internet Explorer and Firefox (Mac users too).
AltaVista
AltaVista launched in 1995 and in the following year were
providing search results to Yahoo. The subsequent decision to become a web portal failed
and AltaVista was bought by Overture in 2003. With Yahoo taking over the company the same
year, AltaVista had come full circle and started using the Yahoo database in 2004.
Excite
Originally founded as Architext, in 1994, money was soon
to change hands and Excite officially launched at the end of 1995. The following year,
Excite bought Magellan and WebCrawler; and signed exclusive distribution agreements with
Microsoft and Netscape, among others. In 1997, Excite purchased a comparison shopping
service company and was subsequently acquired by @Home Network in 1999. Sold on again,
Excite Network was bought by Ask Jeeves (Ask) in 2004.
HotBot
HotBot was launched in 1996, by Wired Magazine and
aquired by Lycos in 1998. In its prime, HotBot claimed to update its database more
frequently than other search engines. HotBot then eventually fell off the map to become
nothing more than a front end for Ask and MSN search results.
Infoseek
Founded in 1994, Infoseek was the major player by the
time Travel Notes launched in the summer of 1997. The following year it was bought by
Disney and merged with Starwave to become Go; which in turn became 'powered by Yahoo'.
Lycos
Lycos began as a search engine research project, in 1994,
and went on to have quite a global presence. Bought by Terra Networks in the year 2000,
Lycos had already reached its peak and Terra Lycos was subsequently sold on, in 2004, to
Daum Communications Corporation of South Korea. Lycos then moved towards concentrating
more on its broadband entertainment content, launching Lycos
Phone, Lycos Cinema and Lycos Mix - in 2006 and 2007.
Northern Light
Northern Light searched the web in 1996 but now
specialise in knowledge management for market research and custom enterprise search
applications.
Microsoft
Now serving search results through Bing.
Webcrawler
WebCrawler started out in 1994 (with its own database)
was aquired by AOL in 1995 and subsequently bought by Excite in 1997. Aquired by InfoSpace
(who also own and operate the meta-search engines Dogpile, MetaCrawler, Zoo and Excite) in
2001, WebCrawler ceased to crawl and joined the group of former pioneers spinning search
results from multiple sources together.
Yahoo
Yahoo started out as a directory, rather than a search
engine crawling the web, and has become many things to many people. After the purchase of
Inktomi (makers of the software used in HotBot), in 2002, and Overture, in 2003, Yahoo Search could slurp through links on its own;
without the need to continue showing Google results on its pages.
General Search
Seniors Search:
Search directory aimed at the over 50 age group.
Web Search:
Wendy Boswell takes a weekly look at the hot places to start your search.
White and Yellow Pages:
Links to international white and yellow pages.
Argentina
Ahijuna.
Grippo:
Argentine search engine. You can also select to include search resultes for Brasil, Chile,
Colombia, Mexico and Paraguay.
GuiaFe.
Australia
Web Search Australia:
First available in 1994. Only sites in the .au domain are crawled and added to the
database.
Bulgaria
Search.bg:
A Bulgarian search engine, dedicated to Bulgarian companies and internet resources.
Canada
CanadaOne:
With 900+ how-to small business articles, a free Canadian business directory with 11,000+
listings, along with current news, free tools and online discussion forums CanadaOne is
the 'just-in-time' information source for small business Canada.
Czech Republic
Seznam.
Europe Search
Europages:
European business directory containing some 700,000 company addresses, selected from 35
European countries and presented in 25 European languages.
Ezilon:
Only lists websites from the European Union Member countries and websites around the world
with information pertaining to Western European interests.
France
Francité.
Pages
Jaune:
The French Yellow Pages.
Pages
Tourisme:
An essential address and telephone number look-up for resources in major French cities.
Voila:
Searching the French language websites.
Germany
Fireball:
German-language websites.
Web.de:
German web directory and search facility.
Hungary
Hudir:
Directory for Hungary and Hungarian businesses. You could also try Heureka; although they're probably a part of the same
family.
India
123 India:
Search returns are sorted by category, which can be a bit of a pain.
Israel
Zooloo:
In Hebrew.
Italy
Arianna:
Il motore di ricerca Italiano.
Virgilio:
Or rather Alice, powered by Virgilio.
Latin America
Brujula:
Started operating in Argentina, way back in 1995 and still going strong.
Malta
Search Malta:
One of the most comprehensive web sites about Malta.
Moldova
OurNet:
Smallish directory about Moldova and Moldovan related websites.
Netherlands
Ilse.nl:
Great if you speak Dutch.
New Zealand
Search New Zealand:
SearchNZ allows you to search through the actual text that exists on pages of NZ Web
sites, as opposed to a web directory which only lets you search or browse descriptions of
submitted sites.
Norway
Kvasir:
Search engine and directory, in Norwegian.
Panama
Panama1:
The search directory for anything and everything related to the Republic of Panama.
Peru
Yachay:
Yachay is a Spanish directory from Red Científica Peruana - Internet Perú.
Philippines
Yehey.
Poland
Wirtualna Polska:
Search engine and directory, in Polish.
Portugal
aeiou.
Pesquisa SAPO.
Russia
Aport.
Rambler.
Slovakia
Zoznam:
Slovakian directory for native speakers.
South Africa
Aardvark:
South Africa's search animal that collects local websites.
Ananzi:
South Africa's categorical search engine.
Spain
Red Aragon.
Switzerland
Blue
Window:
Blue Window is the Swiss national provider. The search is powered by Google.
Swiss Search:
You can search in all of Switzerland, or by Canton.
Turkey
Arabul:
Turkish directory with search capabilities; in Turkish.
Ukraine
Meta Ukraine:
Search Ukraine.
United Kingdom
Lifestyle UK.
Mirago.
United States
Allcanseek:
Alaska and Canada.
City Search.
CTSeek - Connecticut.
Galaxy:
Established in 1994, Galaxy is the original searchable Internet directory whose mission is
to provide contextually relevant information by integrating state-of-the-art technology
with the human touch.
Search Florida:
Returns a lot of real estate companies.
US Search:
People search and background check.
Search Engine Watch:
Provides tips and information about searching the web, analysis of the search engine
industry and help to web site owners trying to improve their ability to be found in search
engines.
Regional
Travel in General
Regional Directory - Search
The Web.
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